That list followed reports Sunday that the Yankees, who many had expected to be a significant factor in the sweepstakes, had been eliminated from consideration. Clearly, Ohtani would prefer to stay west of the Mississippi, with a slight exception made for the powerhouse Cubs. But even they hold spring training in Arizona, just like the other finalists.

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USA Today reported Sunday that several MLB general managers see the Mariners as "clear-cut" favorites to land Ohtani.

The 23-year-old Japanese star faces a Dec. 22 deadline to close a deal with the MLB team of his choice. The decision won't come down to money, as no team can offer more than $3.5 million to sign him due to MLB restrictions. The winning team will, however, pay Ohtani's current employer, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, $20 million for the right to negotiate with the standout hitter/pitcher.